


Long Time, No See

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Series: Freedom AU [1]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-12-10 07:24:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11686830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: Damian was out of the life. He was free. He was a civilian. But he was still Dick’s little brother, and he had to warn him about an old enemy anyway. Had to keep him safe, no matter what. No matter how much had changed.





	Long Time, No See

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Español available: [Largo tiempo sin verte.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16626140) by [SherryOw](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherryOw/pseuds/SherryOw)



> I was really into some [recent](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/post/163506049802/honestly-i-want-damian-to-say-fuck-it-towards) [hcs](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/post/163583840262/if-damian-did-decide-to-go-badass-normal-on-the) about Damian going on the straight and narrow civilian path, so decided to write about it. Damian’s 25/26. Owns and runs an animal shelter/rescue/adoption center. Is probably one of those ones that keeps in touch with all adopters and gets updates on the animals. He still interacts with the family, but as hinted, not very often. Still attends the occasional W.E. gala and visits Gotham when necessary. Dick ends up staying for a few days, and Damian fixes his injuries, shows him around town, and scolds him for being old and still making terrible life choices.

Dick felt butterflies in his stomach as he turned onto the quiet street, and almost laughed out loud.

He’d been face to face with death a million times, and he’d never felt this nervous.

He could see families through windows. Curled up on sofas watching TV. The glow of fire pits in backyards. Some outdoor cats lurking on front porches and in bushes. It was a nice place. A sweet little niche in the corner of the world.

The reason they all put the masks and capes on, no matter where they were.

He was almost to his destination – a house around the middle of the street – when he realized: all of those outdoor cats? They were now following him. More joining the mob the more homes he passed.

Dick did laugh now – because of course. Of _course_.

As he slowed in front of the house, the cats swarmed around him like a current. Some greeting him, others warning him. All of them clamoring onto the darkened front porch.

Dick only rolled his eyes, shook his head as he took off his helmet.

He stared up at the house. A modest two-storey with a single garage. Meticulously cared for flower bushes weaved around a front porch and down a walkway. Beautiful here at this late hour, he only imagined how lovely it was in the daytime.

Those butterflies fluttered again.

“I wish you would have called first.”

Dick nearly fell off his bike at the sound. Looked back to the front porch to find a young man standing there now. Donning sweatpants and a hoodie. Tussled black hair over top a pair of dark, thick-rimmed glasses. Brown, Dick thought, though couldn’t be sure from so far away.

The cats were all talking to _him_ now, and a wave of a group purr echoed through the neighborhood as they all tried to rub against the man’s legs simultaneously. Silhouettes of dogs and other cats appeared in the now dimly lit windows.

Damian always was a fan of his furry friends.

“Sure you’re out of the game, kiddo?” Dick asked, ignoring the tightening of his chest as he dismounted his bike. Made sure his mask was still tight to his eyes, in case of nosey neighbors. “Only your dad can do that weird magic appearing trick so well anymore.”

“Old habits die hard.” Damian shrugged. He glanced down at the army of cats at his feet. “He’s fine, little ones. A friend, I promise.”

The cats seemed to take his word, and just as quickly as their mob appeared, they were gone. Disappeared back into the night like their wild ancestors.

“Well?” Damian asked, almost annoyed. “Are you coming in? In case you haven’t noticed, _Nightwing_ , it’s cold out tonight.”

“Sorry, sorry. Just…” Dick looked around as he walked up the door. Followed the concrete path instead of walking through the grass. “Admiring. Nice place.”

“I’m aware.” Damian hummed, stepping back to let Dick into the house first, before following and closing the door behind them. Dick heard the distinctive click of a heavy lock. “Tea? Coffee?”

“Tea, and maybe a glass of water, if you can.” Dick glanced back at him. Damian’s glasses weren’t brown – they were blue. A baby blue, like his own uniform. The frames brightened his teal eyes. “Thanks, kiddo.”

“I told you to stop calling me kiddo.” Damian sighed, passing him. The gang of animals Dick had seen in the front window appeared now. Half of them stayed to inspect Dick, the other half followed their dad. “And take that stupid mask off. Remember the rules – when you are here, you are my brother, not a vigilante.”

“Right, right…” Dick hummed, tugging at the mask, looking around the foyer as Damian vanished into the kitchen. There were photos all along the walls. Mostly of his animals. He could see a wall in another room covered in photos, some overlapping. Above the photos was the words _Successful Adoptions_ , in pastel spring colors.

But still. Littered among the photos of animals were some of his family, friends. Damian and Tim at a gala the year prior. Damian, Jason and Barbara at a bar. Him and both his parents at some point when he was in college.

The biggest picture of people was Damian squished between Maya Ducard and Jonathan Kent. Colin Wilkes was clinging to all three of them from behind. Damian’s birthday last year, he thought. Or maybe some awards ceremony over the holidays. He couldn’t remember.

(In fact, he’d never known. Saw the photo on someone’s social media, and just never asked.)

Those butterflies swirled again. Sadder, this time. None of the photos – sans the one with his friends – had been recent.

One of the dogs at his feet huffed, and pushed him forward. Down the hall towards the kitchen.

And as he entered the room he saw it – there, on the fridge. It was covered in photos, similar to the Successful Adoptions wall.

Of him.

Him and Damian when Damian was only a child. When Damian was a teenager. Another photo of when Damian was in college, when Dick surprised him on his birthday, then another when Dick and Cassandra showed up to his graduation. At galas, in diners, at the manor, in the hospital. Almost every moment they shared together outside of the capes, for as long as they’d known each other. Displayed in a collage for all to see.

Damian was standing at the counter next to it, fixing up two cups with a large yawn. Dick blinked, and without thinking: “I’m sorry, did I wake you?”

Damian shrugged. “If we’re being literal, it was Spooky jumping off the bed that woke me.”

“…Spooky?” Dick asked.

Damian turned, eyes sweeping over the animals. Pointed to a white, medium-sized dog. Part Bull Terrier at least, if Dick had to guess. She stared up at him with a big grin, and happily wagging tail.

“She likes to sit by the window at night sometimes, and is very protective of the house during the vulnerable hours. I’ve woken up to her practically glowing in moonlight, like a ghost.” Damian explained. Then a light chuckle. “I’ve also woken up to her standing over my face, watching me with that smile of hers. She has, admittedly, scared the living daylights out of me a time or two.”

“So.” Dick smiled, leaning down to pet the sweet girl. “Spooky.”

“And of course, when one of them gets up, the rest stir in some way or another too, so.” Damian sighed, but it was fond as he continued the original conversation. He poured liquid into both cups. “As you can imagine, it’s a bit of a free-for-all when that happens, and almost impossible to remain asleep then. Sugar?”

“Only a little.” Dick hummed. Damian added the flavoring, stirred both mugs. He then picked them both up, turned towards Dick and nodded to the nearby room. Dick went there, sitting in one of the recliners, cats already swarming the chair’s arms and back. Spooky jumped up and settled into his lap, tail wagging all the way.

“So,” Damian hummed, handing the mug to Dick before moving over to a nearby loveseat. More cats and dogs jumped up to join him. Anyone who couldn’t fit jumped onto a couch across the room. “What can I do for you?”

“What,” Dick sipped his tea. It was perfect. Just how he liked it. “I can’t just visit my little brother whenever I want?”

“You may, though you never do. The last time you visited for no reason was eighteen months ago, and it turned out at the end of that trip you had only shown up to rid my house of trackers and cameras set up by the Justice League and your Titan friends.” Damian only sounded a little bitter, but was too good at hiding his emotions, even now, to be anything less than professional. “But, that’s more often than Mother or Father, so I guess that counts for something. Now, what do you need?”

Now the butterflies in his stomach were downright stabbing him.

“I…I’m sorry, Damian. I hadn’t realized it was that long.” Dick muttered guiltily. “Soon, okay? I’ll come visit for no reason other than to see and catch up with you soon.”

“No need to apologize. I’ve been busy as well.” Damian shrugged again, in that noncommittal way that Dick hated. He was hiding himself, like he used to. “Though…your answer suggests what I already know. You’re here for a reason.”

Dick smiled, though it was sad. “You think I’d show up in the middle of the night and wake you up without one?”

Damian took a drink of his tea, studying Dick’s face from behind his glasses. Slowly he lowered his mug, and reached out to pet the nearest cat.

“What’s wrong, Grayson?” Damian asked softly. “Are you alright? Is the family alright?”

“Yeah, I just…” Dick inhaled, looked down. Spooky looked up at him, face gentle and encouraging. “Damian, I think…”

“Grayson, you know you can tell me.” Damian pushed. “You can tell me _anything_.”

“The Court of Owls is back.” Dick blurted out. “And they’ve put a hit out on _you_.”

Damian paused. “…Well good luck to them. Robin hasn’t been around in yea-”

“Not Robin. _You_.” Dick reiterated. “They publically attacked your father at a gala. Demanded he join their ranks or suffer the worst of consequences. He said no, so they said they were going to find you instead.”

“And do what?”

“Take you hostage. Torture you. _Kill_ you.” Dick listed off. He swallowed the lump in his throat, knew Damian saw it. “I’d…rather not get into the details of what they said.”

“Hm.” Damian looked into his cup. “Well, they’d have to find me first. And that’s not exactly an easy task for those outside whom I personally give the information to, as you know.”

“Still. Damian, it’s the Court. They’re good at this kind of stuff.” Dick redirected. One of the cats sitting on the back of the chair put their paw comfortingly on his shoulder. “Or have you forgotten about when you were a kid?”

Damian didn’t answer.

“Because I haven’t.” Dick murmured. “I still think about it every day, how they tried to take you.”

“They didn’t try to take me, I went freely.” Damian defended.

“To save me. And they knew that. They humoured you to try to take you from me. Take you from Bruce.” Dick countered harshly. “And I swore on my _life_ that day, I would do anything to make sure they never touched you again. That still stands now.”

Damian snorted, though Dick noticed the flustered blush rolling up his cheeks. “Grayson, I can take care of myself. You know that too.”

“But you shouldn’t have to. You have this whole family of so-called _superheroes_ , you think we’d be able to actually protect you so you didn’t have to take care of yourself.” Dick pushed. “Besides, you said you were done. You said you wanted to be a civilian and civilian only. You know if the Court comes here and you defend yourself, you can’t _be_ that. You won’t be able to stay. You’d have to pick up and move. Start all over. “

That seemed to make Damian pause.

“I saw that wall in your, what was it, your office? Of the animals you helped get adopted. The ones you saved and gave families.” Dick mentioned. “You attempt to take care of the Court yourself, you’re going to lose all that.”

Damian looked at one of the dogs on his lap.

“And I don’t want you to lose anything.” Dick whispered. “Damian, I don’t want to lose _you_ again. Not to the Court. Not to anything.”

Damian blinked, then smiled, tilting his head to the side as he looked back up. “Grayson.”

“What.”

“I’ve forgotten how sentimental you are.”

“What, so I love you and want you safe. Sue me.” Dick pouted, scratching Spooky behind her ear. “Just…the Court is coming after you. I wanted you to know.”

“And I appreciate that, Grayson. Truly.” Damian kept his warm smile. Dick found himself wanting to return it, but also punch it off his smug face. “…Was Father ever going to tell me?”

“I don’t know. He went off to kick the Court’s ass himself before we were able to talk about it.” Dick murmured. Remembered the tea in his hands. Took another swig. “But even if we had, I would have insisted on coming myself.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re my brother.” Dick reminded. “And…I miss you like crazy.”

“You wouldn’t miss me if we corresponded more often.” Damian tried. And ever trying to appease, murmured: “I…do the video-calling thing now. The girls at the shelter taught me how. Said it was good for meetings and conference calls. Maya and Jonathan enjoy using it quite frequently now.” He paused thoughtfully. “There’s also texting. I’ve gotten better at that too. I can respond within the hour now.”

“Impressive.” Dick laughed. Stared at Damian for a moment more, as Damian glanced back to a cat that wanted his attention. Pursed his lips and made sweet little noises at it, eliciting soft purrs, and kneading paws against his sweatshirt. Damian smiled, closing his eyes when the cat pushed their faces together.

But more than that – he could see, easily, that there was less tension in Damian’s shoulders. Less stress lines at his eyes than when he was ten, or fifteen even. His hair was a mess, and Dick remembered a time when he wouldn’t leave his room – not for anything – before being dressed to a T, with immaculate clothing, and hair slicked back, not a lock out of place. God, he was sitting here in _sweatpants_. A hoodie, colorful and boasting the stylized logo for the center he ran. Dick didn’t think Damian even knew what fashionable hoodies were, let alone would ever wear one. Before, he’d only wear solid colors. No words, no art. Tasteless, he would have said all those years ago. Clothing for slobs and degenerates and Drake.

“…Have I ever mentioned how proud of you I am?” Dick whispered, without really meaning to. Kind of a thought that was accidentally voiced.

Damian glanced up, a soft smile for the cat still on his face. “For what?”

“For what.” Dick snorted, looking down at Spooky. “For _what_ , he asks.”

“I’m serious!”

“For _everything_ , Damian.” Dick laughed incredulously. “For the person you grew up to be. How you…how you actually got _out_. Left the vigilante life and _stayed_ out of it. For keeping yourself safe. For…for finding what you love and doing it, and letting yourself be _happy_. Hell, I’ve heard you’re like, the most popular guy in this sleepy town. I’ve heard you’re even _dating_. Going on _dates_. That’s _incredible_.”

Damian just watched him.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to leave being Nightwing or Batman or whoever. I tried a few times, but. Always got sucked back in.” Dick shook his head wistfully. “Everyone is proud of you. Bruce brags to the League all the time. Tim laments that he isn’t as strong-willed as you are. On the bad days, Jason always says he’s just gonna give it all up and come live in your garage.”

“Well, he wouldn’t need to do that. He could stay in the spare bedroom, if he wished.” Damian mumbled, almost grumpily. “…Any of you could, really. I don’t know why you all keep yourselves away.”

“Me, because I’m an idiot, and didn’t realize I was. Everyone else…if I had to guess it’d be to keep you safe. I think everyone’s afraid that if we show up back in your life too much, we’ll bring all our demons and enemies with us and they’ll try to hurt you. And the last thing we want to do, like I mentioned, is make you uproot yourself, or give up the life that you’ve found, or drag you back into vigilantism.” Dick explained. Damian lowered his eyes, twisted his lips in thought. “…Damian?”

“You said I was happy, and I am, but.” Damian sighed. “I miss you. I miss my _family_.”

“And I promise, we all miss you too. Every last one of us.” Dick swore. “But you know us, Damian. You know we’re all shit at this kind of thing. Seems emotional constipation is a genetic trait.”

“Despite the fact none of us are genetically related?” Damian glanced up, smirked at his own barb.

“Exactly. Nurture over nature, or whatever that garbage is.” Dick chuckled. “But I swear on my life, as soon as I get back I’ll get everyone to work on that. Especially the communication thing.”

“Oh?” Damian asked. “And…when _are_ you going back to Gotham?”

“Well. I delivered my message. The Court is coming after you, and I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, as will Bruce and the rest of the family.” Dick sighed, leaning forward to put his half-drank tea on the coffee table. “So…now, I guess. Be back in Gotham in a few hours.”

Damian took another sip of his own tea. Smacked his lips as he gently pushed his animals off his lap, and placed his own tea on the table. “Mm. No you’re not.”

“Uh…what?”

“You’re not leaving now. Just because I’m out of the game doesn’t mean I’m any less talented than five years ago. I can see the bags under your eyes. The haphazardly treated injuries under your uniform. Not to mention…” Damian paused, took Dick in one more time. “You look sad.”

“Well, my baby brother’s in danger and it’s either my fault or our dad’s, so.” Dick tried to smile, but it came out heartbroken. Tired. Because he knew he never had to lie to Damian. “Do you blame me?”

“You’d kill me if I said I blamed myself more, so I won’t say anything.” Damian quickly spun away. Spooky jumped from Dick’s lap to chase after her guardian. “You’re staying the night at least. I’ll go set up that spare room I mentioned for you.”

“Damian, you don’t have-”

“I _want_ to.” Damian cut off, then glanced over his shoulder. “Now finish your tea.”

Dick listened for a moment, as Damian and his animal army went upstairs. Heard the opening and closing of doors, the shuffling of sheets, quiet thumps. Water running out of a faucet. After a moment, he heard orders to “get off the bed, Reginald, this is for our guest.” A salty meow followed, then, “Well, we’ll ask Grayson if you can sleep with him in a minute. For now, off.”

Dick smiled, and more or less chugged the rest of his drink, then made his way up the stairs. Watched Damian finish preparing his bed, and all the animals desperate to jump up and roll around in those blankets.

Those butterflies flew again, but this time…nicely. Happily. And Dick’s soul felt lighter for it.

Damian completed his task as he made it to the top of the landing, and turned towards him. He opened his mouth to say something, but didn’t get the chance, before Dick was enveloping him in his arms, holding him as tight as he could.

“I love you, kiddo.” He whispered adoringly, apologetically. Damian froze for a moment, then gently returned the embrace. “I love you so much.”

“I know you do.” Damian returned warmly, before pulling back. “Now come on, you’re exhausted.”

Damian motioned to the room. Dick walked past him, pulling at the top half of his uniform.

“…If you don’t have anywhere to be tomorrow,” Damian started slowly, as Dick flopped onto the mattress. It was like a goddamn cloud. He might never move again. Though he did, to look back at Damian. “There’s a nice little café downtown. We could get breakfast. And I could…show you the adoption center.”

“Where you work? The place you built with your bare hands and grew from the ground up? Where you save animals from neglect and abuse and give them the chance at health and happiness and everything they might not’ve gotten otherwise?” Dick asked cheekily. “Damian, I’d be absolutely honored to go see it.”

Dick could see the blush on Damian’s face almost immediately. Smiled, but didn’t say anything about it.

“…Good. That’s settled then. The water you asked for earlier is on the nightstand, should you still want it.” Damian mumbled, clearly trying to make a hasty retreat. “Sleep well, Grayson.” And he was about to go back to his room, when he paused mid-turn. “Oh, yes, I forgot to ask. Would you mind if Reginald-”

“Whatever animal wants to sleep in here is free to do so.” Dick spread his arms dramatically across the sheets, like a sacrifice. “The more the merrier.”

Damian laughed, then addressed the group around them. “Go ahead.”

Dick was immediately swarmed with dogs and cats alike, though knew he’d barely made a dent in the mob. Most of the animals were still going with their dad back to his room, sweet little Spooky included.

As soon as the animals were settled, he glanced back to the door once more time. Found Damian still standing there, like a father putting his child to bed. And he smiled, tears welling in his exhausted eyes as he tried to push the fear the Court’s threats down. Tried to revel in the moment of seeing Damian again. Happy and healthy and after so long.

“Damian-”

“I know, Grayson.” Damian hummed softly. Smiled when he pushed his glasses up his face, as he grabbed the room’s door and began to swing it closed. “And I love you, too.”


End file.
